Demare outwitted in finale of Gent-Wevelgem
'Other riders were more cunning than me'





168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Arnaud Démare (168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Groupama-FDJ) admitted he was outwitted in the finale of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Gent-Wevelgem, where he 𝓰finished on the podium for the second time in his career.
The Frenchman, who finished second here in 2014, made it over the second and final ascent of the Kemmelberg in the front group of 23 riders, but lacked power in the sprint finish and could only manage third place behind𝓀 Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors).
He suggested the difference in freshness was down to the workload they each took on in the 30 kilometres that separated the finish line from the Kemmelberg. After initially keeping himself well hidden in the group as they battled to maintain their lead of around 30 seconds over a chasing group, Démare did come through for a couple of turns. Others, he s𓃲uggested, did not.
"I did turns in the finale to av𝐆oid getting c🌠aught out in a split. Other more cunning riders didn't contribute and there's no doubt they took advantage of that in the sprint," he said.
Sagan's acceleration in the final couple of hundred metres was certainly resounding. Viviani was s🦋trong, too, but was let down by his p🌳ositioning. Démare, meanwhile, was unable to sprint to his full potential.
"The sprint, that's my disappointment," he said♈. "I lacked punch and I'm not happy with it. My legs weren't super and it's a big disappointment."
After finishing second at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and third at Milan-San Remo, it's a third Classics podium for Démare. A source of f🍨rustration, perhaps, but also confirmation of his abilities in these kinds of races.
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"It's the second time I've come here going for victory, as lead⛄er of FDJ. I felt good all da🀅y, and the two decisive passages of the Kemmelberg went well. My team had worked perfectly up until that point,' he said.
"༒ꦆThere is no reward but I can comfort myself: the legs were good."
Patrick is a freelance sports writer and editor. He’s an NCTJ-accredited journalist with a bachelor&r🍌squo;s degree in modern languages (French and Spanish). Patrick worked full-time at Cyclingnews for eight years between 2015 and 2023, latterly as Deputy Editor.